Nvidia’s Tesla M10 graphics chip can deliver virtualized apps to 64 users at once

Nvidia is announcing today that its new Tesla M10 graphics chip will lead to big advances in delivering virtualized applications to remote enterprise users.

The new graphics processing unit (GPU) can deliver virtual apps to as many as 64 users per board, and a dual-board server will be able to support 128 users on a single machine. The new chip is part of Nvidia’s Grid cloud virtualization solutions for enterprises.

The idea is to simplify the delivery of virtual applications at relatively low monthly costs for enterprise users. Jim McHugh, vice president and general manager of the Nvidia Grid business, said in an interview with VentureBeat that supporting more users on a single chip will make it much more cost-effective to deliver business applications to users.

“We have had good success with our GPUs in high-performance computing, deep learning in hpc, deep learning, data analytics, remote work stations,” said McHugh, a former Cisco executive who joined Nvidia six months ago. “Now we have VDI and app virtualization. We are changing the economics for graphics-accelerated virtualization.”

The Tesla M10 GPU has high user density when it comes to delivering apps such as Outlook, Office 2016, web browsers, Adobe Photoshop, and the Windows 10 operating system. Delivering business applications in a virtualized way is becoming more challenging because more businesses are using demanding graphics apps these days.

The percentage of GPU-accelerated apps has more than doubled in the past five years, with half that growth coming in the first months of 2016 alone, according to a study by Lakeside Software.

To provide the best user experience, these applications increasingly use OpenGL and DirectX APIs, as well as graphics technology from the data center. To achieve the level of experience users require and have come to expect, virtual environments need access to the GPU.

“While the need for advanced GPU technology has commonly been associated with the usage of 3D applications, as enterprises make the move to software like Windows 10, Office 365, and other SaaS and web apps, IT departments will increasingly seek the benefits of GPU acceleration to provide everyday business tools to all of their users, ”said Robert Young, analyst for IT Service Management and Client Virtualization Software at IDC, in a statement.

Nvidia is teaming  up with virtualization software companies, such as Citrix and VMware, to deliver a high-end virtualized app that runs as if it were being processed on a user’s personal machine. The cost of running such virtual apps or remote desktop sessions is now down to less than $2 a month per user and, for virtual PCs, is less than $6 a month per user.

The new Nvidia Grid software is available worldwide today, and the Tesla M10 will be generally available in the fall.

“The future of work requires responsive applications that deliver a rich user experience for any application, on any device,” said Calvin Hsu, vice president of product marketing for Windows app delivery at Citrix, in a statement. “This latest version of Nvidia Grid takes virtualization to a new level. Together we enable IT departments to gain real value and performance from their data center and business application investment.”

Virtualized apps can now be delivered at a subscription price of about $10 per concurrent user, McHugh said, on the Nvidia Grid service. Virtual workstations cost about $250 per user.